Loudspeakers

Just like the larger Silver 500 '7G' [HFN Aug '21] the latest Silver 50's response is remarkably flat and even [see Graph 1, below] with a low ±1.7dB error from 200Hz-15kHz, tightening-up to ±1.0dB from 600Hz-9kHz. The –6dB (re 10kHz) HF response limit of 23.2kHz is defined by the –7dB/24kHz dip prior to the +10.7dB resonance of the C-CAM hard dome tweeter at 30.6kHz [pink shaded area on Graph 1, and see also CSD plot, Graph 2, and boxout p75]. Pair matching is 'state-of-the-art exceptional' at 0.4dB (200Hz-20kHz) but the grille brings a ±3dB disruption to the response between 3-6kHz with additional irregularity above 10kHz [blue trace, Graph 1] so is not recommended for critical listening. The 135mm C-CAM RST II bass/mid driver operates over a 91Hz-555Hz (–6dB) bandwidth and the rear-facing HiVe II port, tuned to 55Hz, maintains the low frequency extension to a diffraction-corrected 54Hz (–6dB re. 200Hz) – a creditable result given the diminutive stature of this two-way.

Once again, while MA has engineered a response that's both flat and uniform, it has also bested its rated 86dB sensitivity with 87dB/1kHz (and 86.6dB re. 500Hz-8kHz) combined with low 0.2-0.4% bass/midband distortion (re. 90dB SPL) without imposing an especially punishing load on the partnering amplifier. While MA's specified 3.9ohm minimum impedance is bang on the money (at 250Hz/–4° here) the '8ohm' nominal should, of course, read '4ohm'. Nevertheless this is a modest enough load for any partnering budget amp, only falling below 8ohm from 130Hz-800Hz (and 6.5ohm/20kHz) with equally mild swings in phase angle of –48°/125Hz/9.6ohm and +46°/805Hz/8.1ohm. PM